Goodwrench Serves DMB&B Well

GM Service Program Launches Shop's Ads, Hands Out More Work DETROIT - D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, set to launch a new campaign for General Motors' Goodwrench Service Plus program, recently doubled its business with the client with the addition of Goodwrench's integrated marketing. The new assignment includes collateral, promotions and responsibility for the client's Web site, said Mark Gjovik, group account director and executive vice president at the Troy, Mich., agency. The work was previously handled by a variety of suppliers, he said. GM spent about $38 million in 1998 on advertising for its Goodwrench parts and service operations, according to Competitive Media Reporting. The Service Plus campaign, titled "Empathy," includes three 30-second TV spots aimed at changing people's attitudes toward getting their vehicles serviced, said Will Perry, DMB&B group creative director. One spot, "Cashier," focuses on the service experiences of a young woman - directly confronting a demographic that often feels insecure and uncomfortable taking a car in for repairs, he said. All three spots highlight Service Plus' lifetime guarantee on parts and service. A new tagline, "It's for life," refers to the products' guarantees and purported ability to make life less stressful, Gjovik said. The virtues of Service Plus are outlined from the perspective of an "unbiased, yet empathetic third party," Gjovik said. The narrators - a cashier, porter and vending machine attendant - identify with the customers they encounter at the dealership and talk about how important it is to have a positive service experience. Companion radio ads are being developed for later this summer. Print is not a part of the campaign, Gjovik said. Since people don't even like to think about servicing their vehicles, the more intrusive medium of TV was deemed better for capturing attention. About 2,600 of the 7,800 GM dealers are enrolled in the Goodwrench program.

GM Service Program Launches Shop's Ads, Hands Out More Work DETROIT - D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, set to launch a new campaign for General Motors' Goodwrench Service Plus program, recently doubled its business with the client with the addition of Goodwrench's integrated marketing. The new assignment includes collateral, promotions and responsibility for the client's Web site, said Mark Gjovik, group account director and executive vice president at the Troy, Mich., agency. The work was previously handled by a variety of suppliers, he said. GM spent about $38 million in 1998 on advertising for its Goodwrench parts and service operations, according to Competitive Media Reporting. The Service Plus campaign, titled "Empathy," includes three 30-second TV spots aimed at changing people's attitudes toward getting their vehicles serviced, said Will Perry, DMB&B group creative director. One spot, "Cashier," focuses on the service experiences of a young woman - directly confronting a demographic that often feels insecure and uncomfortable taking a car in for repairs, he said. All three spots highlight Service Plus' lifetime guarantee on parts and service. A new tagline, "It's for life," refers to the products' guarantees and purported ability to make life less stressful, Gjovik said. The virtues of Service Plus are outlined from the perspective of an "unbiased, yet empathetic third party," Gjovik said. The narrators - a cashier, porter and vending machine attendant - identify with the customers they encounter at the dealership and talk about how important it is to have a positive service experience. Companion radio ads are being developed for later this summer. Print is not a part of the campaign, Gjovik said. Since people don't even like to think about servicing their vehicles, the more intrusive medium of TV was deemed better for capturing attention. About 2,600 of the 7,800 GM dealers are enrolled in the Goodwrench program.